Three Reasons Your Home's Energy Bills Might Be High
For a number of homeowners, their energy bill serves as one of their larger monthly expenses. However, this doesn't mean it has to be expensive. If your energy bills are through the roof, this means it's time for you to take a closer look, as there are a number of factors that could be causing this problem.
Vampire Appliances
Do you have appliances plugged in that you don't use on a regular basis? If your answer was yes – you have vampire appliances in your home. Juicers, hair dryers, toaster ovens, DVD players and computers are just some of these vampire appliances. The problem is that these devices draw electricity even when they are in the off position.
While this seems like a small problem, if you have a lot of these vampire appliances, this can amount to a great deal of electricity being generated, wastefully. Keep your bills lower by unplugging these devices or plugging them into a power strip that allows you to turn off their power usage.
Heat Gain Or Heat Loss
It's estimated that as much as 15% of your home's energy is lost through its windows. If you haven't taken measures to lower the amount of heat loss or gain through your windows, you are not working to lower your bills. Professionally installed window tint can help. This window tint comes in the form of an invisible film that is applied to your windows to create a barrier.
This barrier prevents heat from escaping during the winter and blocks many of the sun's UV rays from penetrating inside during the summer, helping save you money. There are different tint color options ranging from a mirror style design to an invisible design depending on your needs.
Skipping Comfort System Maintenance
You might think you're saving money by skipping annual maintenance to your home's heating or cooling system. The reality is that you're doing the opposite. You're actually costing yourself money. Regular maintenance ensures all parts of these systems are performing efficiently.
Even if your system seems to be operating correctly, an underlying issue could be effecting its efficiency, such as an airflow problem or dirty coils. Until you repair these problems the unit will only work harder than necessary and lead to higher than normal operating costs. Make sure you are not overlooking annual maintenance as an unnecessary measure.
Make sure you are taking measures around your home to reduce your energy usage and ultimately your energy bills. For more information about window tinting, contact a business such as MidAmerica Tint.
